The runway was the first of its kind in the world to be constructed over the seabed

Almost 8,500,000 cubic metres of rock was used in the runway

1,850,000 cubic metres of mud was dredged from the seabed

Getting the rocks...

...and placing them into the sea

Asphalting the runway

The Kai Tak Airport runway emerged from the sea

Site Formation

Kai Tak Airport Runway

1955

Demand for marine expertise brings Dragages to Hong Kong

Increasing demand for air travel combined with the growth in airplane size led the Hong Kong Government to plan the reconstruction and extension of the existing Kai Tak runway. By extending the runway two kilometres into Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong was the first city in the world to attempt such an ambitious project.

The challenges of the project, requiring extensive dredging and more than 120 hectares of reclamation, called for a construction company with strong marine and dredging experience. Dragages (which translates as “dredging”) was such a company and having won the contract started its first Hong Kong project.

After only 20 months of intensive work, Dragages successfully created the foundations for an airport at Kai Tak that was to become an icon for the aviation industry and a regional aviation hub.

Kai Tak remained in operation for more than 40 years until it was decommissioned in 1998 following the relocation of the airport to Chek Lap Kok.